Ken's Mistake
by Michelle285
Summary: How does Della feel in TCOT Heartbroken Bride when Ken keeps her away from Perry?


_ Disclaimer: I do not own. _

_ A/N: Hello friends! I've missed you! Of course, it's been my muse that has been keeping me away. Since I have no time to watch PM anymore, my muse has been severely stunted. I am still working on a PM courtroom-ish story, but I'm not posting that until the whole thing is written. Anyway, last night I was able to watch TCOT Heartbroken Bride and I just thought Ken was soooo stupid for pushing Della away from Perry. Really? Hopefully this will hold you over until I can get my courtroom story finished, enjoy! _

Della Street gasped. In tandem with her sharp intake of breath, she was sure her heart stopped beating. She fleetingly wondered if it was possible to have such a sudden heart attack. She closed her eyes for a moment and concentrated n regulating her breathing. It may have been dark in the courtroom, but her eyes were trained on Perry (as they always were when he tried a case) and she knew, in the midst of all the chaos, she saw him fall! Reliving that moment again and again in her mind's eye, looking for any other possible explanation, she willed her hands to stop shaking and hoped someone could get the lights on quickly.

-%

She wanted to kill Ken! Della loved their little PI, but in moments such as these, she wished he wasn't around. She knew Perry needed her and Ken pushed her back to the table, insisting Perry was fine. It wasn't that she didn't trust Ken, she just knew he didn't know Perry as well as she did.

The hopes Della had to catch up with Perry were dashed the minute she heard Laura call her name. Della plastered a genuine, albeit slightly worried, smile on her face and spoke to Laura. She did like the woman, but right now, she wasn't in the mood to talk. She was worried about Perry. She knew Laura was thankful beyond belief that her daughter was safe, but shouldn't she be just a bit worried about her old flame? Or at least keep her conversation with Della short because it was obvious Della was worried?

As soon as Laura left, Della turned to Ken and narrowed her eyes. She knew it was childish to freeze him out, but she didn't care. She began packing up the table and was glad Ken had enough sense to keep quiet. Just because he was with Perry when he fell, Ken thought he had the right to keep her away! She would've been over there faster than the blink of an eye if it hadn't been dark in the courtroom. She wasn't stupid enough to rush over in the dark. As soon as the lights came on though, rush she did, and was met with Ken, pushing her back!

Ken's voice broke into Della's thoughts. "He said he'd meet us back at the office."

Della took a deep, shaky breath and blinked quickly to shove back the tears she would not allow to be shed here, in a courtroom, in front of Ken. When she spoke, her voice was low, menacing and (in Ken's view) scary. "You'd better pray he's not seriously hurt."

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Watching the car that held the new bride and groom drive away, Della turned to Perry. "You're an idiot."

Perry smirked, wondering when this lecture was coming. He kept his eyes turned toward the car and asked, "For what?"

"For thinking you're still thirty-five," Della clarified.

Perry glanced down toward his arm. "Oh, believe me, I'm well aware of my age."

Della slightly shook her head. "Yet you keep pulling stunts like this."

Perry's eyes twinkled as they turned toward her. "I like living on the edge." Seeing her expected reaction, an amused eye roll, he spoke again. "Where were you, by the way. I expected you to be running after me, fussing about my hurt shoulder and demanding I see a doctor that instant."

Della's eyes narrowed, thinking again about that moment. "Oh, I would have. Ken thought it would be a good idea to stop me."

Perry's forehead wrinkled and he looked at Della critically. "And he's still alive?!"

"I wasn't going to break your record," Della said.

"My record?" Perry questioned.

"If I killed Ken, you would have to defend a guilty client and none of us want that," Della explained.

Perry laughed. "I bet you were wishing Paul Drake was still around."

"I was wishing for anyone else!" Della exclaimed. "Paul, Little Paul, Burger or Tragg. Any one of them would have had more sense than Ken did!"

Perry was still chuckling. "I would've thought you would be proud of me."

Della raised her eyebrows. "Proud of you for almost getting yourself killed?"

"No," Perry said. "Proud of me for going to the hospital without you having to tell me."

"Oh, I guess so," Della relented. "I don't know how you drove though."

"I managed," Perry assured her.

"I would've managed better," Della grumbled.

Perry tugged her closer by wrapping his good arm around her shoulder. "Of course you would have. Let's go home."

As they were walking toward their car, Perry heard Della sniff. He inaudibly sighed.

"Del-la," Perry said, drawing her name out to enunciate the two syllables. "Why are you crying? I can't be gentle and charming and wipe away your tears. My shoulder won't let me."

Della shook her head. "These aren't real tears. Just left over ones."

"Pardon?" Perry asked.

"Left over tears," Della repeated. "Left over from the courtroom, from you going to the hospital, finding out you were okay, the wedding."

Perry shook his head in exasperated amusement.

"What?" Della asked.

Perry smiled. "God, I love you so much, Della."

Della smiled. "I love you too. Even though you can't be gentle and charming when I'm crying with your bum arm."

Perry's eyes began to twinkle again. "I have a better idea."

He pulled her close with his one good arm and kissed her gently, yet with passion. Della was willing to stipulate to the correctness of his last statement. This was _way_ better!

_This is kind of short, but I hope you like it! I'll try to make progress on my courtroom story, though I'm not promising anything. If you liked this, if you read this, please review! Thanks for reading! _


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